Multimedia is perhaps the fastest growing application for computer systems. Increasingly, users are employing computers to present graphic, sound and imaging information to end users. Users are increasingly demanding ergonomic interfaces for managing multimedia presentations. In the past, the system clock was often used to commence a sound playback at a certain time, or present information on a computer display at a specific time. However, tools for synchronizing the presentation of music or sound with the display of information as a multimedia presentation unfolded was not possible.
Examples of current multimedia systems that do not have the synchronization capability of the subject invention are Apple's Quicktime and Microsoft's Video for Windows as described in the March issue of NEWMEDIA, "It's Showtime", pp. 36-42 (1993). The importance of obtaining a solution to the synchronization problem encountered in the prior art is discussed in the March issue of IEEE Spectrum, "Interactive Multimedia", pp. 22-31 (1993); and "The Technology Framework", IEEE Spectrum, pp. 32-39 (1993). The articles point out the importance of multimedia interoperability which is only effectively presented with the synchronization capability of the subject invention.